Sand Calculator
To calculate sand, multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by about 1.30–1.35 for tons of dry sand. For example, a 10 × 10 ft area 2 inches deep needs 0.62 cubic yards (about 0.80–0.83 tons), or 34 bags of 50 lb.
How to calculate sand
- Measure the area. Measure the length and width in feet, or use the area in square feet. For a round pool or sandbox, measure the diameter.
- Convert the depth to feet. Divide the depth in inches by 12. For example, 2 inches is 0.17 feet.
- Find the cubic yards. Multiply length × width × depth to get cubic feet, then divide by 27.
- Convert to tons. Multiply the cubic yards by 1.30–1.35 for tons of dry sand, or 1.55–1.62 for wet sand.
- Count bags and round up. A 50 lb bag of dry sand holds about 0.5 cubic feet, so bags = cubic feet × 100 ÷ the bag's weight in pounds. Round up to what your supplier sells.
Worked example: a 12 × 12 ft area 2 inches deep: 12 × 12 × (2 ÷ 12) = 24 cubic feet, and 24 ÷ 27 = 0.89 cubic yards. That's 1.15–1.20 tons of dry sand, or 48 bags of 50 lb.
How much does sand weigh?
Dry, loose sand weighs about 1.30–1.35 tons per cubic yard (2,590–2,700 lb), or 96–100 lb per cubic foot. That runs from the Federal Highway Administration's figure for dry sand to bagged sand, which is sold as 50 lb per 0.5 cubic feet. The FHWA's geotechnical manual puts loose sand in natural ground at 90–99 lb per cubic foot dry, in line with these figures. A ton of dry sand is about 0.74–0.77 cubic yards.
Wet sand weighs about 1.55–1.62 tons per cubic yard. The FHWA's table gives wet sand as 1,835 kg/m³ (about 3,090 lb per cubic yard) in its metric column and 3,230 lb in its US column, so the calculator's wet range spans both.
| Sand | Per cubic foot | Per cubic yard | Cubic yards per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry, loose | 96–100 lb | 2,590–2,700 lb (1.30–1.35 tons) | 0.74–0.77 |
| Wet, loose | 114–120 lb | 3,090–3,230 lb (1.55–1.62 tons) | 0.62–0.65 |
How much does sand cover?
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft divided by the depth in inches, whatever it weighs. A ton of dry sand covers less, because it's only about 0.74–0.77 cubic yards, and a 50 lb bag holds about 0.5 cubic feet.
| Depth | 1 cubic yard | 1 ton | 50 lb bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | 240–250 sq ft | 6 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 120–125 sq ft | 3 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 80–83 sq ft | 2 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 60–63 sq ft | 1.5 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | 40–42 sq ft | 1 sq ft |
Sand quick reference: 1 to 10 tons
| Tons | Cubic yards | Covers at 2 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.74–0.77 | 120–125 sq ft |
| 2 | 1.48–1.54 | 240–250 sq ft |
| 3 | 2.22–2.32 | 360–375 sq ft |
| 5 | 3.70–3.86 | 600–625 sq ft |
| 10 | 7.41–7.72 | 1,200–1,251 sq ft |
Play sand for a sandbox
Play sand is sold in 50 lb bags of about 0.5 cubic feet, so a sandbox takes 2 bags for every cubic foot. Measure the inside of the box, choose how deep to fill it, and use the Circle shape in the calculator for a round sandbox.
| Sandbox | 4 in deep | 6 in deep | 8 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 4 ft | 11 | 16 | 22 |
| 5 × 5 ft | 17 | 25 | 34 |
| 6 × 6 ft | 24 | 36 | 48 |
| 8 × 8 ft | 43 | 64 | 86 |
Sand under swings, slides and climbers is a different job from a sandbox. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's playground handbook lists sand at a minimum of 12 inches deep when installed and 9 inches once compressed, which protects against falls up to 4 feet.
Sand for an above-ground pool
Above-ground pool manuals call for a sand base at least 2 inches deep over the whole pool floor, plus a cove: a sloped bank of sand along the inside of the wall that stops the liner creeping under it. SPQ Brands' manual gives the cove as 6 × 6 inches; a Concord manual, 6 to 8 inches high.
In the calculator, enter a round pool as a Circle with the pool's diameter and a 2-inch depth. An oval pool is a rectangle with a half circle at each end: add a rectangle of (length − width) × width and a circle as wide as the pool.
| Pool | 2-inch base | With a 6 × 6 in sand cove |
|---|---|---|
| 12 ft round | 0.70 yd³ · 0.90–0.94 tons · 38 bags | 0.87 yd³ · 1.13–1.18 tons · 48 bags |
| 14 ft round | 0.95 yd³ · 1.23–1.28 tons · 52 bags | 1.15 yd³ · 1.49–1.56 tons · 63 bags |
| 15 ft round | 1.09 yd³ · 1.41–1.47 tons · 59 bags | 1.31 yd³ · 1.70–1.77 tons · 71 bags |
| 18 ft round | 1.57 yd³ · 2.03–2.12 tons · 85 bags | 1.83 yd³ · 2.37–2.47 tons · 99 bags |
| 21 ft round | 2.14 yd³ · 2.77–2.89 tons · 116 bags | 2.44 yd³ · 3.16–3.30 tons · 132 bags |
| 24 ft round | 2.79 yd³ · 3.62–3.77 tons · 151 bags | 3.14 yd³ · 4.07–4.24 tons · 170 bags |
| 27 ft round | 3.53 yd³ · 4.58–4.77 tons · 191 bags | 3.93 yd³ · 5.09–5.30 tons · 213 bags |
| 30 ft round | 4.36 yd³ · 5.65–5.89 tons · 236 bags | 4.80 yd³ · 6.22–6.48 tons · 260 bags |
| 12 × 24 ft oval | 1.59 yd³ · 2.06–2.14 tons · 86 bags | 1.87 yd³ · 2.43–2.53 tons · 102 bags |
| 15 × 30 ft oval | 2.48 yd³ · 3.21–3.35 tons · 134 bags | 2.84 yd³ · 3.67–3.83 tons · 154 bags |
| 16 × 32 ft oval | 2.82 yd³ · 3.65–3.81 tons · 153 bags | 3.20 yd³ · 4.15–4.32 tons · 173 bags |
| 18 × 33 ft oval | 3.24 yd³ · 4.19–4.37 tons · 175 bags | 3.64 yd³ · 4.71–4.91 tons · 197 bags |
Sand for a pool filter is different: use the amount on the filter's label.
Fill sand and compaction
Sand that will be compacted packs down. The FHWA lists dry sand at 2,590 lb per cubic yard loose and 3,240 lb compacted, so each compacted cubic yard takes about 1.25 loose cubic yards. To allow for it, enter 25% in the calculator's Extra field.
Other materials
To convert any volume between cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters, use the cubic yard calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much sand do I need?
Multiply the length by the width in feet and by the depth in feet (inches ÷ 12), then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 10 × 10 ft area 2 inches deep is 16.67 cubic feet: 0.62 cubic yards, about 0.80–0.83 tons of dry sand, or 34 bags of 50 lb.
How do you calculate yards of sand?
Multiply length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) and divide by 324, which is 12 inches × 27 cubic feet. A 20 × 10 ft area 3 inches deep is 20 × 10 × 3 ÷ 324 = 1.85 cubic yards, about 2.40–2.50 tons of dry sand.
How much sand is in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Of dry sand, that's about 1.30–1.35 tons (2,590–2,700 lb), or 54 bags of 50 lb, enough to cover 162 sq ft 2 inches deep.
How much does sand weigh?
Dry, loose sand weighs about 96–100 lb per cubic foot, or 1.30–1.35 tons per cubic yard. Wet sand weighs about 114–120 lb per cubic foot (1.55–1.62 tons per cubic yard). A 50 lb bag of dry sand holds about 0.5 cubic feet.
How much will a 50 lb bag of sand cover?
A 50 lb bag of dry sand holds about 0.5 cubic feet, so it covers about 6 sq ft 1 inch deep, 3 sq ft 2 inches deep or 2 sq ft 3 inches deep.
How far does 1 ton of sand cover?
A ton of dry sand (about 0.74–0.77 cubic yards) covers about 240–250 sq ft 1 inch deep, 120–125 sq ft 2 inches deep and 80–83 sq ft 3 inches deep. Wet sand is heavier, so a ton covers less: about 100–105 sq ft 2 inches deep.
How many 50 lb bags of play sand do I need?
Multiply the sandbox's cubic feet by 2, since a 50 lb bag holds about 0.5 cubic feet. A 4 × 4 ft sandbox filled 6 inches deep holds 8 cubic feet, so it needs 16 bags; a 5 × 5 ft sandbox 6 inches deep needs 25.
How do I figure how much sand I need for a pool?
For an above-ground pool, the manufacturers' manuals call for a sand base at least 2 inches deep. Multiply the pool's floor area by 0.17 ft and divide by 27: a 24 ft round pool covers 452 sq ft, so it needs 2.79 cubic yards, about 3.62–3.77 tons or 151 bags of 50 lb. A 6 × 6 in sand cove along the wall adds about 0.35 cubic yards. Sand for a pool filter is different: use the amount on the filter's label.
Related calculators
Sources and methodology
Volumes use (length × width × depth) ÷ 27 with all measurements in feet. Dry sand weights are loose, as delivered: from the Federal Highway Administration's figure for dry sand to bagged sand sold as 50 lb per 0.5 cubic feet, which is why results show a range. Wet sand uses the FHWA's figures for wet sand; its metric and US columns differ, so the range spans both. Bags are dry bagged sand at 100 lb per cubic foot, rounded up. Pool amounts assume a 2-inch base and a 6 × 6 in cove with a triangular cross-section along the wall. Order amounts are rounded up to the next half cubic yard or half ton. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb).
- FHWA Federal Lands Highway, Earthwork Design (PDDM supplement), Exhibit 5.1 A (January 2026)
- QUIKRETE 0.5-cu ft 50-lb Play Sand, product listing (Lowe's)
- FHWA NHI-05-037, Geotechnical Aspects of Pavements Reference Manual, Chapter 5, Table 5-9
- SPQ Brands: Santorini above-ground pool instruction manual (models AGP1800 and AGP2400)
- Concord above-ground pool assembly and installation: round pool instructions (P/N 95-0443)
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Public Playground Safety Handbook, Publication 325 (July 2025), Table 2
- NIST Special Publication 811 (Guide for the Use of the SI), Appendix B.8: conversion factors